In a conventional process used in drilling, an open-faced drill bit is attached to a drill string, which is a series of connected drill rods and tools that are assembled section by section as the drill string moves deeper into a formation during a drilling operation. Whenever a tool or drill rod breaks or is damaged, such as a worn drill bit, the entire drill string is removed out of the hole that has been drilled (the borehole). Each section of the drill rod must be sequentially removed from the borehole, which takes a significant amount of time.
There are many different methods used to drill, including percussion, rotary, sonic, etc., which are used in various situations based on the type of drilling, formation, and equipment. However, every method of drilling causes various stresses on the drill string and tools that lead to failures. Some dampening tools have been used to try to minimize damage to drill strings and tools. However, some of the existing dampening tools have significant disadvantages, particularly, that they tend not to be suitable for various drilling methods and may not be positionable downhole to provide maximum protection from damage near the drill bit. Similarly, existing shock dampening tools are prone to overheating and failure because the shock loads are generally absorbed by one or very few components.